Medford's Freedom Park gets more flagpoles to honor U.S. armed services ahead of new WWII, Korean War monuments

By George Woolston gwoolston@thebct.com@gcwoolston

Friday

May 17, 2019 at 12:00 PM

The improvements were made to compliment the biggest new additions to the park — the installation of a new WWII monument, Korean War monument and a Battlefield Cross thanks to the efforts of the Burlington County War Memorial Committee.

MEDFORD — Freedom Park is getting a few new additions and improvements prior to the Township’s annual Memorial Day celebration.

Last week, the township installed five new flag poles — one for each branch of the U.S. armed services — in front of the park’s World War I, Vietnam War and post-Vietnam War memorials. It also moved the park’s existing three flag poles, which fly the United States, New Jersey and Prisoner of War flags, behind the three memorials.

Mayor Chuck Watson said that other improvements, such as landscaping and installing new lighting, will be made prior to Memorial Day as part of an ongoing effort to improve the area surrounding the park’s memorials.

“It makes the whole area complete,” Watson said on Monday. “We really wanted to make it a place where you can go and reflect on the sacrifices made.”

The improvements were made to complement the biggest new additions to the park — the installation of a new World War II monument, Korean War monument and a Battlefield Cross thanks to the efforts of the Burlington County War Memorial Committee.

Committee chair Mike Panarella, a Medford resident, said so far the committee, which previously raised funds for the park’s WWI and post-Vietnam monuments, has raised just north of $26,000 for the new monuments, which will honor those from Burlington County who have lost their lives while fighting for the country in the conflicts.

The new monuments will be dedicated as part of Medford’s annual Memorial Day parade and festivities on May 27.

Panarella, who spent his career teaching across South Jersey and in Philadelphia, said that he hopes the new additions will educate young people visiting Freedom Park on the ultimate sacrifice a number of Burlington County residents made for the country.

“It’s historical. We’re trying to teach kids to respect the contributions made,” Panarella said, adding with the improvements and additions the park’s memorial monuments will be solemn and respectful. “I’m really proud that Medford has joined with us, they are dedicated to this.”

“We ask people to stand in harms way for the sake of freedom, and we need to honor their sacrifice, and this is one way to do it,” said Cliff Toye, Burlington County War Memorial Committee member and a veteran of the Vietnam War. “There are few Korean vets still around, very few WWII vets, who managed to sign that blank check and survive. No matter what their level of service, and we need to recognize that. That’s history.”

In addition to the monument dedication, township officials, war memorial committee members and members of other veterans groups will re-dedicate the post-Vietnam monument to include the names of three Burlington County residents who lost their lives while in the armed services — two being Nicholas P. DiMona III, a 20-year-old Shawnee High School graduate who was recently killed in an U.S. Army training accident and his father, Nicholas P. DiMona II, who also lost his life in an Army training accident in 2004.

The dedication ceremony will follow the township’s traditional Memorial Day parade and ceremony. Watson said the parade will follow a slightly different route than in previous years — the parade will stop at Main Street at Medford’s downtown memorial for a brief ceremony and rifle salute, then continue to Freedom Park for the dedication ceremony.

The parade is scheduled to start 11 a.m. on Monday, May 27 at the Pinelands branch library, 39 Allen Ave.

In addition to the parade and dedication ceremony, there will also be a "Field of Honor," with around 200 American flags flying in Freedom Park adjacent to the monuments. The flags will be planted by Medford Sunrise Rotary Club. Each flag will be sponsored by a resident or business in honor of a hometown hero.

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